Reflections
by Mystical Authoress
Summary: AU. When the village is burnt to ashes, Kai and Monica find themselves on a journey to defeat a great evil, with the help of unexpected allies. (I know, summary sucks, but the story is better than this!)
1. The Beginning

**Author note: I do not own Yakitate! Japan. Nor do I own the song that inspired this fic, 'Reflections' by Drew Taylor (hence the title, since I can't think of anything better than this). Nor do I own the fairytales that inspired this, such as 'Snow White,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' and 'Sleeping Beauty.'**

**I just hope I won't make this fic go on hiatus or something after the first two chapters...I mean, I have other multi-chap fics I should be working on, but this came up on the spur of the moment (sort of)...**

**Warning: AU, pairings (some definite MoniKai here, people!), crossdressing later on, mentioned cursing, violence...I think that covers it.**

**Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope you guys read and enjoy! Thanks!**

* * *

_Reflections_

* * *

_1. The Beginning_

* * *

Tiny flames licked at the remains of the charred village.

A man stood among the ruins, peering about carefully. He cursed, loudly.

Obviously, burning the village did not scatter too many people. He could see the charred corpses of the villagers, cooked completely by the fire he had started hours earlier.

But then again, there were those two villagers. A male and a female. They had left the village right before the fire had blocked anyone else from trying to escape. A male and female...both humans. Surely, this would be a challenge to find them both.

He needed blood. He needed to feast or bathe in the blood of others so badly, that he could barely restrain himself.

But, if he was going to get any blood to keep himself alive, he needed to gain the trust of those humans so he could attain their blood before they realized it.

He smirked. This was going to be an exciting hunt, a race against time...

How long would he last before he really needed the life-giving liquid splattered upon himself?

* * *

"I think we're okay now, Monica." The bandanna-wearing teen spoke up, looking around. "I think the fire stopped a while ago. Maybe the other villagers were able to get rid of it."

"I'm not so sure, Kai..." Monica trailed off, brushing a lock of orange hair out of her face. "What if there are still monsters about? You know that they would wish to go through remains of destroyed villages and castles; looking for humans like us to eat!" she exclaimed.

"If they dare try to eat us, they're going to have to go through this blade first." Kai responded, holding up his katana. "C'mon, let's go!"

As the two started to head towards the village, they ran into someone quite unexpectedly, the three falling to the ground.

"Ow!"

"Yeowch!"

"Aah!" Monica and Kai got up before looking down at a man with long, blond hair. He was definitely older than the two, and he wore a silver metal mask over his face, his light blue eyes and mouth the only things exposed. He huddled into the fetal position, trembling slightly. "D-don't eat me!" he gasped quickly. "I'm-I'm not very tasty; not at all!"

"We're not going to eat you!" Monica responded, helping him get up. "What are you doing around here, anyway?"

"That's what I was going to ask you!" the older man responded. He sighed a bit. "I am a mere traveler, and I believe I may have gotten quite lost...my name is Sylvan. Yours?"

"My name is Kai, and this is my friend Monica." Kai responded. "Our village was attacked and burned, just about an hour ago..."

"Oh?" Sylvan looked a bit surprised. "Really?" He asked, trying to confirm Kai's answer.

"Yes."

"I see..." Sylvan paused for a moment before speaking again. "I believe I may have passed through that village just now. I didn't see anyone in existence; unless you count corpses. I'm sorry..."

Kai looked around quietly. "We should probably camp for the night; it's getting late." he spoke up. Just then, Sylvan collapsed to his knees. "What the-"

"I'm sorry." Sylvan choked out quietly. "I haven't...eaten for a while. My supplies ran out a couple days ago, you see, and..." Before he could finish, he immediately passed out onto the verdant ground.

"Shoot." Kai muttered quietly. "Monica, we have to get some food or water for this guy; quickly!"

"Uh, yes!" Monica grabbed a canteen of water from the knapsack she had with her. Thank goodness she and Kai had grabbed as much as they could before fleeing the village; otherwise they wouldn't have anything to feed themselves with.

As they tended to the traveler, little did they know that this would only be the beginning of a journey they had never dreamed of in existence.


	2. Unnatural

_2. Unnatural_

"Remind me again, why are we taking care of him?" Kai muttered. "All he's done so far is just scorch our breakfast!"

"Kai!" Monica groaned. "We had to help him! We can't let him starve, you know!"

Kai sighed. "I know, Monica, but he's practically dead weight so far, and-"

"I apologize for destroying breakfast." Sylvan spoke up quietly. The two turned to face him. "And I'm not dead weight. I can defend myself at the least..."

"Prove it." Kai spoke gruffly.

"What?" Sylvan asked, unsure if he heard it correctly. "Prove it? How..."

"Do something. Try to attack me." The teen responded, crossing his arms.

Without warning, Kai found himself flipped into the air and painfully slammed onto the ground before he could make a move. Sylvan looked down at him, before apologizing a bit and helping him up.

That speed of attack wasn't natural. Not at all. Kai was confused by how someone so frail-looking could be so strong...

* * *

The three continued to wander the forest, looking about cautiously in case any monsters attacked.

And then suddenly, four people ran out of the bushes, practically terrified out of their wits. They didn't look like they wanted to attack anyone, fortunately for the three.

"Help us!" One of the people begged them, a teen with blond hair tied back into a ponytail. "There is a beast chasing us! We don't mean any harm to you; we swear! Help, please!"

Before Kai could speak, a wild boar, with hair as black as coal and skin as red as blod, emerged from the bushes, smoke coming out of its nostrils. It seemed to be twice the size of the average boar, and definitely looked very dangerous; so intimidating that a mere villager would run away screaming from it.

On instict, Kai drew his sword, but Sylvan had beaten him by sending a torrent of ice at the beast. The boar roared, fire bursting from its maw of sharp teeth, and melted the ice completely.

"Well..." Sylvan cringed a bit. "At least we know that it's immune to ice."

"It's a fire boar, you fool. Of course it's immune to ice!" Kai snapped at him.

"Well, fire isn't going to help, either!"

"Ugh..." Monica sighed. "Leave this to me!" She took out a dagger, rushing at the boar before flipping over it and stabbing it deeply in the back. The boar roared, before charging at the others.

The ponytailed blond took out a spear and threw it at the boar, piercing it in the back as well. All the boar did was roar even more and continued charging.

"There's no way this thing is stopping!" The blond shouted.

"Wait a second..." Kai tried to remember what to do when defending yourself against this type of boar. The back was meant to act as a shield, and its snout was quite large, so that meant the vulnerable spot was...

"Aim for its forehead!" Kai shouted.

"What?" Monica asked.

"I told you, aim for his forehead! It's the weak spot!" Kai shouted, pointing his katana blade at the beast. "If we can strike it hard enough there, it should die!" He tried to charge at the beast himself and stab it, but he was knocked out into a tree instead.

The next thing Kai heard was a loud squeal of pain, and then a thud echoing afterwards for a few moments. Everyone was too shocked to say a word. Kai got up, and all he could do was stare as Sylvan spoke.

"Kai...you forgot one thing. There is another weak spot on the beast, and it's at the neck. That beast can die if decapitated, too. Thank goodness I remembered that just now..."

The beast's corpse lay on the ground, the head a little farther away than its body.

Sylvan calmly stood in the midst of its remains, covered in blood from head to toe, as if it was so natural for him to fight these sorts of beasts before. Then, as if punched in the stomach, he doubled over, clutching his stomach as if it really hurt.

"Hey...are you alright!?" the ponytailed blond asked, but Sylvan didn't answer. Instead, he put his head in one hand as he stood back up, his other hand clenched in a fist.

"No...can't...need to..._control...I can't_..."

Before anyone else could do a thing, he just ran out of sight, the look on his face one of desperation.


	3. Suspicions

**Author note: I know, I'm sorry, I didn't update this as soon as I hoped! (prepares self for the attack of flames) (insert cringe here) I'll try to update the next chapter sooner, I swear! (Note that I said TRY.) Thank you all for your patience!**

* * *

**_3. Suspicion_**

"I can't believe he just ran off like that. I knew he was dead weight!" Kai muttered. He, Monica and the other four people had made themselves a fire to cook some food (not including the boar they killed only half an hour ago). They huddled around the fire in an attempt to keep themselves warm.

"Yeah, it is kind of strange..." The ponytailed blond responded. His name was Shachioko, and two of the other three with him went by the names of Azuma, a boy with a pink hairband, and Kawachi, a boy with short blond hair. Shachioko, Kawachi and Azuma were knights, dedicated to protecting their princess Tsukino, who was the third of the other three people. They had to run away from their kingdom to avoid getting destroyed by a demon by the name of Snowza.

"Hold on a moment!" Kawachi spoke up. "I heard that regular demons usually crave blood, don't they?"

"And your point is?" Kai asked.

"What if he's a demon?" Tsukino asked, immediately catching on to what Kawachi meant.

"Just because he runs away from a dead boar doesn't mean he's a demon!" Monica responded ."That doesn't make sense. A demon would have just started devouring the blood without hesitation, right?"

"Huh, that makes sense." Azuma replied, nodding in agreement in Monica. "It's true that demons would devour blood without hesitation."

"Hmm..." Kai paused before speaking. "True. But the way he reacted was a bit dramatic. I've seen people throw up in front of corpses or scream in fear, but not run away as if he was trying to restrain himself from doing anything more drastic. There's something about that guy that I can't shake off."

Everyone else definitely had to agree. Whatever was going on with Sylvan, it was definitely something to be noted.

* * *

"Too close...too close!" The blond-haired man smashed his fist against a nearby tree. "If I had...If I hadn't restrained myself...I would have..." He muttered before taking a deep breath and pausing, leaning against the tree.

That was too close. Had he not restrained himself and ran, the others would have figured out his true identity. That would not have been good, and he had a feeling they would not hesitate to kill him like the boar earlier. He had to think up a new tactic. And he needed blood, fast.

_I'm bloody hungry...or thirsty, whatever I'm feeling. But I need blood. NOW! I guess I can't wait that long..._

_That is unfortunate. I wanted to try that bandanna-wearing boy's blood first; he seemed interesting enough..._

He caught a scent. A scent of human, to be more exact. He turned, to see a boy with light pink hair enter the clearing. He had a bow and a pack of arrows slung over his back.

"Hey...are you alright? You seem kind of pale-" The boy started, but Sylvan grabbed his mouth, silencing him.

"Sorry." Was all Sylvan whispered before striking.

There was blood.


	4. Question

_4. Questions_

_"Help him-"_

_"Kanmuri, NO!"_

_"HOLD ON!"_

_"Someone, heal him!"_

_"Put pressure on the wound! We can't let him bleed to death-"_

_"Kanmuri? Kanmuri, speak to me! Kanmuri-"_

* * *

Kanmuri's eyes snapped open, and he immediately tried to sit up, but a strong pair of hands pushed him down.

"Kanmuri! Just-just stay down!" Shachioko told him. "You lost a lot of blood; I think you were attacked...What happened to you?"

"Demon..." Kanmuri croaked out at first, before he let his thoughts of when he was previously conscious, right before he was attacked collect. "A demon attacked me. He looked really hungry, and...he said 'sorry' before he drank my blood."

"Did he have long, blond hair and look really pale?" Kawachi asked. All Kanmuri did was nod before breathing deeply. Kawachi turned to the others. "Sylvan must have attacked him..."

"Then that means Sylvan is a demon, then." Kai spoke, pausing for a moment. "Does that mean he was acting as if he was weak when he approached Monica and I the previous night?"

"I'm not so sure about that." Tsukino responded. "I remember hearing that a demon can get very weak if he has not consumed blood for a long time...Perhaps he could have been trying to gain your trust so he could strike when you weren't paying attention."

Tsukino had a point there, Kai noted to himself. That could have been the case when Sylvan had approached him and Monica the previous night. It made sense; Sylvan was a demon, and he did seem to be hungering for something other than regular human food. On the other hand, though, he felt as if there was something that just didn't click together so easily.

Why did Tsukino seem to agree so eagerly about Sylvan being a demon? Perhaps she had encountered him in the past and the two didn't have good relations as a result of that? He wasn't sure. Something was definitely going on here that he and Monica had no idea about at the least.

* * *

The group found a town by nightfall, and they found a place to sleep at the inn (the townspeople seemed awfully happy to have customers, as they mentioned they hadn't had many visitors lately). Kanmuri's injuries were healed after buying some elixir (and some extra potions, just in case). As the seven ate their supper, they overheard a couple of the people talking with one another.

"Another visitor arrived! He said that he had gotten attacked by some creature in the midst of his travels and ended up losing most of his things as a result."

"Yeah, the poor guy looked pretty worried about that. Looked a bit thin, too; I bet he hasn't eaten much lately."

"There was blood on his clothing, too! I think it's probably from the creature he had to fight, I bet. I offered to let me wash it for him but he declined, saying that he would do it himself and shouldn't rely on others to do anything for him."

"He seems to be a nice bloke; being considerate enough to try to take care of himself, even though he's in such a weak state. He seemed to be getting along well with some of the children, particularly Mizuno."

"Mizuno? You mean by the sorceress-in-training Mizuno?"

"Yeah, her! The two appeared to be having quite the conversation! He kept talking even though his voice was hoarse; he must have really gotten along with her well. ...Hey, by the way, what's his name? I think it started with an S..."

"Sylvan, if I'm correct. Something like that."

Kai froze at the mention of Sylvan's name. "He must have gotten here a little while after we got here. We've got to be careful." He spoke to the others in a low voice. "Either he's still tracking us or trying to find new prey."

Monica nodded in agreement, before they continued listening.

"Hey, isn't he going to attend the masquerade tonight? He said he heard about it from people from the other village not too far from here."

"Speaking of that other village, I heard it got burnt down! Some say an arsonist did it!"

"That's highly unfortunate..."

"Wait, that handsome traveler is going to be at the masquerade tonight? That's fantastic!"

"Ooh, maybe we'll get to dance with him!"

"Yeah!"

"I have a feeling we should probably attend this masquerade." Kanmuri spoke up. "Something doesn't seem right. Why would he attend a masquerade?"

"Shouldn't we avoid it if he's a demon?" Kawachi asked. "Otherwise he'll probably identify us, hunt us down and kill us all!"

"I'm thinking he might be plotting to massacre everybody at the ball." Kanmuri responded sharply. "We can't let that many people die just because he's hungry and in need of blood!"

"Says the 'genius' who nearly got himself killed by said demon." Shachioko muttered quietly.

"Shut up, Shachioko. I didn't know he was a demon until he attacked!"

"Settle down, will you?" Monica sighed. "Some boys..." She muttered under her breath. Everyone paused, unsure of what to say until Azuma spoke up.

"What if Sylvan does recognize us?"

Kawachi sighed. "Then we're doomed."

"No, not completely. If we can get him to surrender peacefully, even if he does recognize us (which is a high probability), he probably won't kill everybody." Kanmuri responded. "I mean, it's the seven of us against him. Even if he is a demon, I highly doubt he can take on all of us at the same time."

"I guess that's it, then." Kai spoke, standing up and departing to the staircase to get to his room.

"Where are you going?" Monica asked, confused.

"I'm going to get ready for the masquerade. If Kanmuri's hunches are correct, we have to stop him before it's too late. This also means we have to get to the masquerade as soon as possible."


	5. Masquerade

_5. Masquerade_

There were a lot more people that Kai or any of his companions expected to be at the ball. All around them, ladies and gents everywhere chatted with one another, perhaps had a sip of alcoholic drinks, or were dancing with one another.

"How the heck are we supposed to find him!?" Kawachi exclaimed, gesturing to the tons of people in front of them. "He could be anywhere in this mob!"

Kai sighed. "I didn't think it was going to be this complicated..." he muttered. "Shoot..."

"Maybe we should split up and search for him." Tsukino suggested. "He would probably notice us more if we're all together, but alone, I don't think he should be able to figure us out so easily."

* * *

Kai sighed as he leaned against the wall, watching the dancers and the talkers and the drinkers from a distance.

Why did searching for demon that could possibly cause a bloody massacre having to be so bloody _boring?_

Even worse, he was the only one focused on the task at hand. Shachioko had started dancing with Monica, something he definitely did not like, and Tsukino was off chatting with the rest of his companions. He was the only one who was straining his eyes; in the hope that he could see that demon, walk over to him, and give him a solid beating (for nearly Kanmuri and trying to deceive him and Monica earlier).

"Excuse me, sir?" Kai turned to see a woman walk over to him. She wore a metal mask of white, and her ballgown of light blue and pale white consisted of a few frills at the hem, but too many that it looked ridiculous. Her skin was pale, and her long, blonde hair was tied back. "You seem to be quite...stressed, if I'm correct...Are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, thank you." Kai responded, with a slightly gruff tone. "And what would someone like you be doing here?" He asked.

The lady seemed to be a bit surprised at his response, but she spoke with a calm tone. "I thought I could find someone to dance with. That's all." She responded quietly, politely. The two were quiet for a moment, before she spoke up again. "Perhaps you would like to dance with me?"

Kai eyed her carefully. Something about this woman seemed familiar, and he had a feeling he would have to take a risk to figure out if he was correct.

"I accept."

* * *

A red-haired girl watched the two stroll over to the dance floor, positioning themselves for a waltz when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder gently. She turned, and saw the Princess Tsukino, standing there.

"Princess Tsukino?" The girl asked, her eyes wide with surprise. "How did you-"

"A few of my knights and I escaped Yukino's capture, Mizuno." Tsukino explained quietly. "We are currently searching for a man with long, blond hair and pale blue eyes. He's a demon, and my companions and I think that he might be here to cause some bloody massacre."

Mizuno paused, before responding quickly, "I conversed with him earlier, he said that he was merely travelling and heard about the ball and-" She paused before blurting out, "I think I might have seen him around here just now. He's wearing a dress, and he went to dance with some guy with dark black hair."

* * *

"So tell me, have you travelled far?" The woman asked as the two continued their dance.

"Not too much." Kai lied. "Only to go see some friends here. And you?"

"I travel quite a lot, to be honest." She responded, giving a smile towards him. Her eyes seemed to widen considerably, suddenly, and she paused before she continued. "Have any girls ever taken affection towards you? A handsome man like you would probably be a hit with the women, I'm sure...or maybe, perhaps, do you take affection towards anyone in particular?"

"Not that I know of. Not that I care." Kai responded bluntly. "And why do you ask?"

She paused before speaking, "Despite your fierce demeanor, it's obvious that _you_ take affection towards one, perhaps that orange-haired girl I saw you with earlier?" Kai mentally froze at that statement. "Tell me...do you like her? Because if that's the case," She leaned close enough to whisper in his ear, "I'll make sure you die with her watching you."

Blood sprayed from the 'woman's' chest as Kai slashed at Sylvan with his katana, that was skillfully hidden earlier. Sylvan clutched his chest as he staggered backwards a bit, giving Kai a small frown as Kai glared at him.

"You're going to pay for what you did to Kanmuri. And for trying to play innocent while you were with Monica and I!" Kai shouted, everyone else in the ballroom pausing in whatever they were doing and looking at the two in shock. "You're going to pay for that, demon!"

Sylvan let out a snarl, before he licked the blood off his hand that previously clutched his chest. "You are going to pay for what you did to me just now." He spoke harshly. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to drink enough of Kanmuri's blood so that I got away in time and to make sure it was enough to last me a while!? I would have honestly loved to drink yours first, but I sadly could not wait any longer. But now you're making me mad." A sword appeared in his left hand, and he gripped it tightly as he pointed it at Kai. "I hate it when people like you get me so riled up."

Many people screamed and ran as the two ran at each other and their blades clashed as they fought, a desire to make the other surrender so obvious in their actions. Neither one wanted to lose against the other.

Kai tried to stab the demon, but the older man was far too quick and kept skillfully blocking the blows with his sword. Eventually, the two found themselves chasing each other in the midst of all the swordplay, and ended up on a balcony. Kawachi, Azuma, Tsukino, Mizuno, Kanmuri, and Shachioko followed, also intent on stopping the demon.

"Give it up, Sylvan!" Tsukino shouted. "We have you cornered. Either you surrender now, or I may have to order my soldiers to destroy you completely."

"Shut up, Princess." Sylvan hissed back. "You think I wish to surrender? No. As long as Yukino reigns, I cannot, and will not, stop fighting those who oppose her. I was bound to serve her since the day I met her. I have no choice."

"Yukino?" Monica asked, confused. "I thought she was something in the myths and stuff-"

"And obviously, she is real." Sylvan interrupted. "Again, I cannot surrender, because-"

_"You shut up, Sylvan." _A voice spoke out of nowhere. Everyone froze in shock. _"You have failed to finish your task. You should have killed everyone in the ballroom by now!" _

"Yukino, please, I can explain-" Sylvan spoke, but Yukino interrupted him.

_"As you have failed, you are no longer fit to serve me anymore. You can go ahead and die."_

The balcony split apart suddenly, and the next thing Kai knew before hitting the rapids below was that Sylvan wrapped his arms around him, an attempt to make sure the dive into the water wasn't too painful.


	6. Aid

_6. Aid_

When Kai and Sylvan hit the rushing water of the rapids, neither one of them were expecting the water to be so rough, or _cold._

As they were carried down the rapids, Kai was practically swimming for his life, and he was praying that he wasn't going under. Trying to blink the water out of his eyes, he noticed from the corner of his eye, Sylvan, struggling to stay afloat.

_Shoot. Just great... _Kai thought to himself as he did his best to get close to the older man and try to make sure he didn't sink completely. _Don't tell me he can't swim..._

Before either one could do anything else, they found themselves falling...

* * *

Kai didn't remember much of what happened exactly after he fell into the lake below, but he slowly regained his sight as he dragged himself out of the water. The air was cool, which didn't really help him stay warm, but at least he was alive. Cold, shivering, bruised and wet, but alive.

He heard a quiet groan, and looked behind him to see the demon, collapsing completely onto the wet, grassy shore of the lake. His soaked pale blond hair clung to his face, and his dress was completely wrecked from the rapids. Kai also noticed that the demon was also bleeding, with a cut on the forehead and a smaller cut near his left collar bone.

Before all of this happened, Kai saw Sylvan as someone who had been so hurtful towards him and his companions. He had killed people before. But now, seeing him in a state such as this, seeing him in pain, the feelings were different.

Kai dragged the older man away from the lake and let him rest. Looking around, he snapped some branches off nearby trees, in preparation for a fire.

* * *

Kai growled in frustration. The fire wasn't getting lit, Sylvan was still unconscious, and-

Wait. Scratch half the previous thought. Sylvan was waking up, now. Kai couldn't do much about the cuts on the collarbone and forehead, but he tried to wipe and bandage it with some cloth he ripped off from his sleeves.

Sylvan just stared at Kai for moment, unsure of what to say before he composed himself.

"You should have just left me to die. You heard Yukino." He spoke quietly. "I failed. And I thought you hated me for what I did to your companions."

"Just shut up and get some rest. I'll find some better way to fix your injuries when I can." Kai responded gruffly, crossing his arms.

"I'm a demon. I crave blood. Think."

Kai realized that the demon might have a point. "Let me guess. You need blood to heal those wounds, don't you?"

Sylvan nodded quietly in response. "You don't need to do anything for me about that."

Kai sighed, extending an arm towards the older man. "If my blood is the only thing that's really going to help you, go ahead. Just don't try to weaken me too much."

Sylvan's eyes widened considerably, and he sputtered a bit before he finally spoke. "Y-you're joking. You actually-"

"I'm not joking. If you really need to use my blood, go ahead."

"Oh." Sylvan paused, and he spoke again. "Before I start, thank you, and I'll try to keep the consuming of your blood to a minimum...I'm...sorry."

He didn't go for Kai's arm. Instead, he bit into the teen's shoulder and drank, blood seeping from new wound. Kai did his best to adjust to the pain; trying to reassure himself that this was nothing compared to his training as a samurai. He could bear with this. Kai still couldn't believe that he was helping his enemy stay alive, but he had a feeling that Sylvan's help would be needed if he were to get back to Monica and his other companions.

Sylvan licked the wound once, and then breathed upon it before he retreated from Kai. The wound was perfectly healed.

"Sorry." Sylvan's voice came out as a small whisper.

Kai glanced at his shoulder briefly before looking at Sylvan. "...It's fine. Help me light the fire, will you?"


	7. Starting the Search

**Author note: Egad. I haven't updated in forever, and I apologize for that...**

**Reason why: I had a hard time with the first part of this chapter specifically, and I had to work on other fics...**

**Let's hope this chapter makes up for the long delay...And Merry Christmas, by the way! Peace out! **

* * *

_7. Starting the Search_

"Crap." Shachioko muttered. "Suwabara fell into the rapids and drowned...Just...Great..." He ended sarcastically.

"Kai can swim, you know!" Monica told him, glaring at the blond. "He couldn't have just drowned!"

"But still, Sylvan was the one who dragged Kai down with him! We have no idea how heavy he is!" Shachioko insisted. "What are we supposed to do now!?"

Tsukino hesitated before speaking up. "Assuming just Kai is dead and Sylvan is alive, we should mourn for Kai and hunt down Sylvan. If he is alive and Sylvan is dead, we should look for Kai. If both are dead...I'm unsure of that. And I highly doubt both could be alive. I don't find it possible..."

"They're not dead." Everyone turned to see Mizuno. "Don't ask how I know, I just...know. I can sense if certain people are alive or not. Kai is alive. Unfortunately, Sylvan is as well."

"Can you sense where they are exactly?" Kanmuri asked.

Mizuno nodded. "I can't figure out the exact location...but they're definitely really deep in the woods outside of this village. To the north, I think." She tried to explain, pointing when she said 'north.'

"I guess we'll have to go north to search for Kai, right?" Kawachi asked. "Even if we run into that demon?"

Mizuno sighed. "Unfortunately for you, yes."

* * *

Kai rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before looking around.

Sylvan wasn't here.

The teen let out a deep sigh and shook his head slightly. This was just great. He saved that demon from drowning (and freezing), and even let the guy drink his blood. All Sylvan had done was help him find an empty cave and light a fire to keep warm. And then he probably left, during the night while the samurai slept.

Just...great.

Kai wasn't really sure of what to do, but he could just feel that the older man still had to be around somewhere. He picked up his katana blade, and walked out of the cave. Looking around, he continued to walk through the thicket of trees, and then he found a clearing.

Sylvan looked up at him, horrified, with blood staining his hands, his mouth (some of his face, too), and his ragged dress. He backed away slightly, and the prey he had been feeding off-a deer-galloped into the thicket.

Kai lowered his sword, before sheathing it. Sylvan immediately started tearing up on the spot, curling into a small ball and shaking slightly.

"Forgive me...Forgive me..." Sylvan muttered quietly.

Kai went over to him, sitting down beside him. "I guess you really can't control your demonic impulses, can't you?" He asked.

Sylvan shook his head, before punching the ground with one hand. "It's because of...because of _Yukino _that I'm stuck like this!" He told the teen through clenched teeth. "I used to be human. I used to have someone that was close to me, my sister Sophie. And then I consumed her, after that fire that evil witch set and-" He choked a bit, before finishing. "I didn't even know I was consuming her until I finished eating the contents of which Yukino gave me. That bloody witch...transformed into this...monster. And I have to keep doing this, this consuming. But that's not the scary part."

"If that's not the scary part, what is?" Kai asked, confused.

Sylvan gave him a look that seemed to say his answer, before even speaking it.

"The scary part is that I_ enjoy _consuming the blood. And then I can't_ stop."_


	8. Annoyance

_8. Annoyance_

"Monica and I were friends, growing up in the village since we were kids." Kai told Sylvan as the two walked through the forest. The samurai had decided to tell the demon about his past. It was only fair, since Sylvan told him about his past already. "She wanted to be a patissier and all, and have her own 'candy castle,' as she put it. That's her dad's dream. Monica's dad health eventually failed him, and her mom got sick from worrying so much. I had to take her into my house and help support her."

Sylvan hesitated before asking, "What about your family situation?"

"...My father abandoned me when I was young. I don't know where he is, now. I had to take up a job at a bakery to support myself. I've got no idea where my mother is."

"I'm sorry." Sylvan spoke quietly, looking downwards. "I didn't think I was pressing upon a touchy subject." He looked up at Kai again. "But, what was your relations towards Monica like? Are you two really just on sort of sisterly-brotherly terms, or...just friends, or...I don't know...something?"

Kai blushed of embarassment. "I-I don't love her..." He trailed off through clenched teeth.

Sylvan smirked. "Of course..." He drawled sarcastically, before chuckling a bit. "Of course, Kai. I'll keep your little secret."

Kai pointed his katana blade at him. "One more taunt towards me about this and I'll make sure you die." He threatened the demon, who flinched and nodded in response. "Good."

* * *

"What did you find about her attractive?" Sylvan continued to persist about Kai and Monica's relations towards each other, despite the multiple death threats Kai kept giving him out of annoyance. "I mean by physically attractive. You've told me already about how hardworking and dedicated she is to her work and such, and how on rare occasions she keeps giving you hugs and calls you Samurai Boy, too."

Kai paused before saying two words.

"...Her hands."

Sylvan looked confused there. "I'm sorry...Did I hear that correctly? Her _hands_?"

"YES!" Kai shouted at him. "SHE HAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HANDS IN EXISTENCE! IT WAS SURELY THE HANDS OF A TRUE ARTISIAN!"

Sylvan smiled a bit. "Well, I suppose human hands can be considered a physically attractive part of a person, although for females, men rather look at their-" He pointed at his chest. "You get the idea."

"Pervert." Kai muttered quietly.

"I am not!" Sylvan protested. "I'm more about the face-kind of person. I mean, overall they have to look nice, and be nice people, but if their face is especially pretty, I've noted that I try to actually talk with them."

"...You don't generally like speaking to people?" Kai asked.

Sylvan tapped the mask he wore. "The face you see underneath this is not pretty at all. At least in my opinion. That's why I generally avoid talking them."

"Take the mask off." Sylvan looked at Kai, confused, before the teen spoke again. "You heard me. Take the mask off. What's your real face like behind it?"

Sylvan just sighed, before removing his mask.

The face underneath was scarred with cuts and burns, especially at the left side of his face. Kai wondered how Sylvan could have survived something such as this, but he guessed it may have been due to becoming a demon that he could survive these wounds a bit easier than a regular human.

Sylvan put his mask back on. "This," He spoke, "Is why I generally don't bother communicating with people. In addition to being a demon, my face looks terrible. It's from when Yukino attacked the village I lived in, years ago. The results weren't pretty, either, as I told you earlier."

Kai nodded, before the two looked around. "Do you know if there's a way out of here?"

Sylvan shrugged. "My long answer is, if I knew, I would have slung you over my shoulder and got the heck out of here by now." He responded. "My short answer is no, I don't know."

Kai sighed. "That doesn't help..."

Just because the two were allies, did not mean that it came without any annoyance at all.

* * *

**Author note: Oh gosh.**

**I haven't updated this in forever. I am really sorry about not updating it in a while! I got busy with other fanfics and-oh, never mind. I don't want to babble excuses again. ****I swear, I'll get this updated sooner next time. Promise. Thanks for all your patience!**


	9. Finally Found

_9. Finally Found_

"Are you _sure _that they're in here somewhere?" Kawachi asked Mizuno.

"They should be..." Mizuno trailed off. "The only problem is, they keep moving, so it gets really difficult to track them."

Monica sighed. "I really hope we catch up with them soon..." She trailed off. "But, who is Yukino exactly? The queen of the demons?"

"She's an evil sorceress, to be more exact." Mizuno explained to her. "She's been around for a long time terrorizing villages and stuff, and she can turn people into demons. Rumor has it that she's trying to take over the entire land and plunge it into darkness and stuff."

"After we reunite with Kai and defeat Sylvan, I suppose our best course of action is to hunt down Yukino and destroy her, right?" Tsukino asked.

"Right, Princess." Mizuno responded.

* * *

As the group continued their search, Shachihoko turned to Monica, asking a question.

"Hey, Monica? I'm just wondering...how long have you and Kai known each other, anyway?" He asked. "Just curious, that's all. You don't have to tell me."

Monica hesitated before she spoke. "Kai and I were friends since we were kids. We grew up in the same village. My dad's health failed later on and my mom got sick from worrying so much, so he let me live at his house and helped me out. Kai's training to be a samurai, you know. But at the same time, he has to take of himself, make sure I'm okay, deal with the job he has at the bakery...He's really hardworking. I like that."

Shachihoko smiled a bit. "So you like him?" He teased.

Monica blushed. "Uh, um...well..." She tried to figure out something to say, but couldn't.

Shachihoko's grin just went wider. "It's alright, Monica, your secret's safe with me." He responded. "I'm sure we'll find him soon."

Before Monica could speak up in reply, two figures burst into the clearing, both wielding swords and staring each other in the eyes. The blades clashed and they both moved about so quickly that they were almost blurs to the group's eyes.

"Give me what you got, demon!" One of them shouted.

"Certainly, Kai." The other chuckled as he ducked a punch to the face. "I refuse to hold back."

The swords clashed, and the two were staring at each other in the eye, pushing against each other with all of their strength. It was right then when one of them tripped, and they both fell over onto the ground, one of them laughing.

"That wasn't expected at all..." The demon chuckled as he helped Kai up. "Not bad, considering you were drained due to my feeding off blood last night."

"Thank you. You're not too bad in a dress, either." Kai responded before both turned to see the gang. The others just gave them blank, surprised or confused faces. Kai sighed. "This is going to need some explaining..."

* * *

**Author note: ...That was really short. Um...I was hoping to put an actual fight scene in here, but I think I'll have to save it for next chapter...**


	10. Trying to figure things out

_10. Trying to figure things out_

"Okay, okay, let me get this straight." Shachihoko started. "You let HIM-" He pointed at Sylvan when he said 'him.' "Drink YOUR BLOOD!? That's really gross!" He exclaimed to Kai.

Kai sighed. "I repeat, it was not as bad as you thought!" He started, but then Sylvan butted in.

"Yeah! I mean, I only drained of probably appoximately three wine bottles worth of blood. I've done way worse, trust me." Everyone stared at Sylvan as soon as he finished his statement.

"You actually measured how much blood you drained him of?" Kawachi spoke, gaping at him.

Sylvan sighed. "Kind of. We demons have a habit of 'needing' a certain amount of blood, but obviously we usually want more than 'needed.' You should be happy I didn't drain him completely of his blood." He explained.

"Demons really have it hard when it comes to blood, don't they?"

"Yup."

"So now we're all banding together, trying to hunt down Yukino who caused the whole plan to 'immerse the whole land in darkness' and caused Sylvan to become a demon, and kill her?" Kai asked.

"Yeah." Azuma answered him. "But where are we supposed to start looking, anyway?"

"Hmm..." Monica trailed off before turning to Sylvan. "Are you able to sense Yukino, with you being a demon and all?" She asked.

"Can't do that. Sorry." Sylvan responded sheepishly. "Sadly, despite the fact that demons are the highest-ranking creatures under her command, we can't even sense her, which I think is really stupid! But then again, if one of us such as myself went against her, if we can't sense her it's a good thing for her. Just not for those who go against her."

"Wait...other demons?" Kanmuri asked. "There's more of them?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't there be?"

"Then..." Tsukino paused before asking, "Wouldn't the other demons try to destroy you, considering you decided to go against Yukino?"

Sylvan cringed. "Crap. You're completely right. I forgot that minor detail."

"YOU CALL THAT _MINOR!?"_ Kawachi exclaimed. "They could be trying to hunt us down right now! We can't just stand here, can we!?"

"Well, we could and get killled. Either that, or we run and possibly survive. Your choice." Sylvan reassured him, smirking a bit.

"It's not funny!"

Kai sighed, standing up before starting to walk off. "If that's the case, we probably should get moving now. The other demons could be getting closer any minute." He turned to Sylvan. "How many other demons are there, anyway?"

"...Nine. I'm the highest-ranked out of all of them, actually, but I'm sure they could probably rip me limb from limb if they all ganged up together. Thankfully, they're terrible at teamwork." Sylvan told him.

Kai did not appear to be anymore comforted by this fact, nor did anyone else. "...This is just great."

* * *

**Author note: ...Incredibly short chapter. Late update. I know. I'm sorry... I swear the next chapter will be longer. I hope...**


	11. Hunted Down

_11. Hunted Down_

"Okay, we don't know where to find Yukino." Kanmuri started. "As far as I can remember from reading the ancient texts back in the royal library, the only sort of people that can track her are Mystics, and they live inside the mountain caves. Maybe we can start there."

"Or," Shachihoko interjected, trying to act like the smart one, "Considering that she took over Princess Tsukino's kingdom, don't you think she would be there, and sending out demons and whatnot to do her dirty work?"

"That is a point, but...wasn't it destroyed?" Kawachi asked.

"Kawachi. Think. Yukino's queen of the demons! She could totally just use her almighty powers to rebuild the place." Shachihoko told him. "That makes sense, right?"

"Well, if you put it that way, that does indeed make sense." Sylvan responded, doing his best to face the others as he continued. "I have seen her literally rebuild palaces before. Unfortunately, it takes at least a whole day for something like that to be built, depending on how massive the architecture is, and other factors of building the palace add up, too. Her power is great, but it takes a lot of time to rebuild something like that. Then again, considering that she has other evil creatures guarding the places she has conquered," He crossed his arms briefly, before uncrossing them, "She would have enough time to do so, as well as more protection from invading enemies."

"So, you're telling us she's got rule over not just Tsukino's territory, but other kingdoms, too?" Monica asked, surprised. "That's got to be hard to control for her...I mean, that's got to be a lot of land to take care of."

Sylvan nodded. "Yes, she does have rule over more than one territory." He answered. "First, she wiped out the Kaysers and conquered their territory, and then proceeded to claim three other territories; first of those three being Prince Shadow's territory. Shadow, I believe, is rumoured to have gone into hiding and is trying to build up troops to fight back against Yukino."

Sylvan paused again, and Kai noticed a grim expression on his face as he spoke the next few statements. "The second of the three is...where I used to live. It was formerly ruled by Lord Ken Matsushiro, who is rumoured to have teamed up with Shadow to rally troops. The third..." He paused for a moment before finishing. "Princess Tsukino, I believe that would be your territory. And it's not terribly difficult for Yukino to rule over so much land, since she has many evil creatures at her disposal."

"Like you?" Tsukino spoke up, giving a stern glance towards Sylvan, who and looked down at the ground, suddenly uninterested in speaking any further.

"Well, I guess we can't really depend on thinking Tsukino's kingdom is where Yukino is, then." Shachihoko concluded. "She could be in any of those four places."

"I guess that means that we'll have to go to the Mystics for help, then." Kanmuri added. "It shouldn't actually be too far from here. I mean, the mountains are that way-" He pointed to the north, "And the caves are at the base of the mountains, so they shouldn't be too difficult to find. If we start travelling now, we might be able to reach the caves by nightfall."

"Sounds good!" Mizuno grinned as she spoke in response. "Being a witch means to really be a Mystic-in-training, so I know a shortcut!" She told them proudly.

"Are all Mystics women?" Azuma asked, curious.

Mizuno shook her head. "Nah. There's guys, too, but mostly women gifted in magic actually try to become Mystics, which sucks. Male Mystics-in-training would be called warlocks." She explained.

"Wait a moment." Everyone turned to Kai, who finally spoke up. "Sylvan," He started, turning to the blond-haired demon, "Didn't you say just earlier that there are most likely other demons sent by Yukino to kill you, considering you've decided to fight against her?"

Uh oh. Everyone else seemed to forget that _minor _detail. Things weren't looking good now...

"Yes." Sylvan spoke after a brief moment of silence. "They'll probably be here within a few minutes. We might want to start running now."

* * *

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THE OTHER DEMONS EARLIER!?" Kawachi shouted at Sylvan as the group ran for their lives.

"I did. I don't think any of the rest of you really wanted to pay attention to that, though." Sylvan calmly responded as Mizuno summoned a few trees to smack a few evil spirits out of the way. "We can just continue trying to take flight away from these beasts, but I think fighting will be our only option at this rate."

"Well, if you say so..." Kanmuri whipped out a bow and three arrows, aiming them at one demon before shooting. Two of the arrows hit said demon in the eyes and mouth, and Kanmuri silently cheered as soon as he heard the demon's screeches of pain.

"Good shot!" Tsukino told him as she summoned a streak of lightning to electrocute another demon.

"Thanks!" The archer responded quickly, before shielding himself as a demon tried to strike his face.

Kai took out his katana blade, and turned to block a demon from clawing him, before he thrusted the blade forward and cut through the demon's neck. The demon let out a gurgle of pain as blood burst from its mouth and dribbled down its neck when Kai pulled out the blade. Monica followed suit by strongly kicking it farther away from them. She turned, punching another in the face as Kai stabbed it in the chest afterwards.

Kawachi and Azuma were pretty much sitting ducks, meanwhile, and trying their best to shield their princess from any harm coming her way.

Sylvan turned to the others, stopping in his tracks. "This is where I have to leave you." He spoke after a moment of silence.

"What?" Kai asked in disbelief. "Sylvan, are you-"

"I'm not betraying you. I'm just simply repaying the favours you did for me." Syvlan responded, turning to the demons. "Go. Get to those Mystics, figure out where Yukino is and...kill her for me, for the sake of the land. Alright?"

"No, we can't-" Kai started, but Shachihoko pulled him away from Sylvan, dragging him further through the woods. "Sylvan!"

All of the demons that were trying to fight the rest of the group now focused themselves on Sylvan, who just simply extended a hand and made a gesture to come and get him. They surrounded him, circling him several times, and Kai swore he heard several screams of pain from the poor demon. When they vanished, Sylvan was gone away with them, too.

When Kai had decided to officially team up with Sylvan earlier, before everyone else found them, he seriously wanted to help him in a way, whether it be killing Yukino or bringing his sister back to life or turning him back into a human. And deep in his heart, Kai felt like he failed Sylvan completely right at that moment.


	12. Dead Weight

_12. Dead Weight_

"We lost Sylvan?" Kawachi spoke up.

Kai gave a grim nod. "Unfortunately, that's the case. But thanks to him, I don't think those other demons will try to get us for now, considering that he was their intended target..." He let out a sigh, propping his head against his right arm. "I was really hoping I could help him in some way, though. He never wanted to be a demon. He was originally human like the rest of us until Yukino turned him into a demon...There might have been a way to get him back to normal..."

"Well, right now, we have to definitely find Yukino and get rid of her." Kanmuri spoke up. "Maybe we can save him!"

"And how do we find her again?" Shachihoko asked, confusion taking over her face. "We're going to go to the Mystics for help, right?"

"Exactly." Mizuno told him. "And then as soon as they tell us, we have to go hunt down Yukino and destroy her. And try to help Syvlan, too. I mean, sure, he was bad and everything, and he even attacked Kanmuri, but I can't help but think he's a good guy inside. If he was seriously a bad guy, why would he even bother talking with me, or any of the other villagers days ago?"

"That decides it, then." Monica spoke up as everyone turned to her. "We're going to find those Mystics, get them to tell us where the heck Yukino is, and then we're going to hightail it over to Yukino and defeat her and save Sylvan in the process!"

"YEAAAAA!" Everyone else cheered. In Princess Tsukino's mind however, she was thinking different thoughts.

_How dare they not pay any attention to me! I am the princess, they should be asking me of their opinion! And why should we bother rescuing that demon; all he did was nearly get us killed by other creatures earlier... All everyone else wants to do is rescue a dead weight._

* * *

Sylvan struggled against his invisible bonds as the demons dragged him down the hallway, but it was no use. He was weakened by their attacks and capture of him earlier; and struggling wasn't going to help him at all.

He kept his head down, his eyes closed as he felt the hot breath of demons leering at his face while evil spirits cackled with glee as they saw him. He didn't want to come back to Yukino. He never did. But he was willing to sacrifice himself to help a group of people on their quest to defeat Yukino. Especially Kai.

Kai. Sylvan couldn't help but smile to himself as he thought of the teen. Strong, brave, and...cold. He was a bit cold on the outside, but Sylvan knew he was quite caring as well. Kai had helped patch up his injuries after the whole fight at the masquerade, and even let Sylvan drink his blood. The latter action definitely took some willingness and caring to be allowed to happen, and Sylvan felt completely grateful that Kai allowed such a thing.

The teen's blood tasted bittersweet, Sylvan remembered, with hints of sadness and sympathy within the crimson, life-giving liquid. Maybe Kai had been left behind before, just like Sylvan had been, and knew what it was like to feel so helpless? Sylvan didn't know for sure, but he had a feeling it had to be something like that...Maybe. He wasn't entirely sure.

"Well, well, well." An icy, feminine voice lingered in the air, snapping Sylvan out of his thoughts. "Who would have known you would be so stubborn to actually try to live and go against me, Sylvan? Then again, you were always so stubborn."

Sylvan didn't say anything, and looked up at the Queen of the Demons with a near-blank expression on his face.

Yukino slapped him in the face harshly, and he simply let his his head turn to the right and absorbed the blow.

"Well?" Yukino spoke, pushing a few locks of hair behind her ear. "Why don't you tell me how your time with the other cockroaches went?"

Sylvan said nothing.

"Fine then," She snorted, "Be that way." She turned to the other demons and spirits lingering in the throne room. "Torture him as you please until he's willing to speak up about the cockroaches. And once he is, bring him to me so I may hear of them."

Sylvan felt himself get dragged away from the raven-haired demon queen, and all he did was smile. He was very good at absorbing pain. As soon as the smile formed, it immediately turned into a small frown afterwards.

But then again, pain wasn't an issue. How much _blood_ could he lose before pleading for mercy?


	13. Trouble

**_13. Trouble_**

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"...Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"NO!" Kanmuri finally snapped at Shachihoko. "We're not getting any closer to the mountains! Aargh!" Kanmuri sighed, shaking his head. "I don't get it. Why aren't we getting any closer to the mountains?!"

"Maybe it's because WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!" Kai finally snapped, pulling out a map and shoving it in Kanmuri's face. "We've been going farther away, south, rather than towards the mountains, which is north! We have to get there!"

"Dude, calm down!" Shachihoko exclaimed, restraining Kai by one arm before the samurai could physically injure anyone. "I understand that you're mad that they took Sylvan, but this isn't helping, either! Just calm down already!"

Kai let out a sigh, before sitting down on the ground. "Dang it." He muttered under his breath. _We have to find Sylvan, soon..._

"We have no choice but to camp for the night..." Kanmuri trailed off quietly, glancing at the sky. "It's getting too dark for us to continue travelling right now." As the others began to set up camp, Monica walked over to Kai quietly, sitting down beside him.

"You're not alright, are you?" Monica asked, pushing a strand of her orange hair behind her ear as she made eye contact with her childhood friend.

"No, I'm not." Kai muttered back to her in response. "When Sylvan and I were seperated from the rest of you, we formed an alliance after we helped each other out. I didn't tell him what I promised aloud, but I swore to somehow get him back to his normal human state and help him defeat Yukino to avenge his dead sister."

"He had a sister?" Monica asked, surprised.

Kai nodded, before continuing. "Yukino fed his sister to him. That was his first meal as a demon, and he certainly has held a grudge against Yukino since. He wants to get back to normal and defeat Yukino; I can just sense that from him. But now he's captured, and-" He paused before blurting out, "And if we don't get to him in time, I won't be able to fufill that promise to help him!"

"Kai..." Monica paused for a moment before speaking. "He's going to be okay, I'm sure of it. He's pretty pain tolerant..."

"Yeah, but..." Kai paused before speaking again. "How much blood can he lose before dying? He said that all demons need to keep feeding on creatures with blood and they can't lose too much or they'll die, just like any normal human being. What if he bleeds out completely before we get to him?"

Monica didn't know what else to say, and instead, held his hand tightly. She hoped that nothing was happening to the demon, either.

* * *

Sylvan let out a gasp and cough as he was sent flying backwards into a wall. He heard a crack, with pain sharply cutting into his left arm afterwards. He nearly let out a cry of pain at this, but he bit down on his bloody, torn lower lip.

_Dang it, my arm..._

He didn't have much more time to continue as he was finally punched in the face, before his torturers let him slump to the floor, helpless and certainly too tired and weak to battle them.

"Have you had enough!?" Yukino snapped. Sylvan didn't say a thing. "I'm giving you _one _more chance before I decide to let you bleed to death. What are those other cockroaches doing?"

Sylvan's lips curved into a thin smile. "They're going to defeat you, you _hag_." He rasped quietly. "They're going to kill you, soon..."

He was kicked once more in the face, before Yukino and her servants left. He lay on the floor, unsure of what to say or do. His whole body hurt, and he wasn't sure of how much blood he might have lost...

_How much blood he might have lost... _The thought of it scared him, and he closed his eyes quietly. He did not want to imagine himself dying, helpless and alone. No. _No. _He didn't want to die yet. He wanted to avenge his sister, dang it! But no, he's stuck here in this prison, and he is beaten to a pulp, almost. He swore he could hear Yukino's laughter cackling its way into his mind...

_Isn't there someone that will find me soon? Please? Anyone?_

Before he realized that the sound of footsteps had gotten very close to him, he felt a hand gently touch his face. Sylvan flinched at first, but then he opened his eyes, and realized who it was.

"K-Kuroyanagi-san?"

Before he could hear the raven-haired companion answer in reply, Sylvan's world went dark.

* * *

**Author note: I know, I know, not really any MoniKai in this chapter...It'll come eventually...**


	14. Savage

**_14. Savage_**

"Is he awake?"

"Yes, I think he is..."

Sylvan opened his eyes, staring upwards at three faces. One of them was a man, with a dark-haired ponytail and dark eyes. A second belonged to a man with silver hair, and his eyes were rolled back-and Sylvan knew why. The third was...

"Kuroyanagi-kun..." Sylvan trailed off, trying to sit up, but Kuroyanagi gently pushed him back down. "Matsushiro...Shadow...H-how did you..find me?"

"We snuck into Yukino's palace to try to figure out what she was planning, and dragged you out of there in the process. That's how we found you." Matsushiro answered, adjusting his ponytail a bit. "You've been out like a light for a couple hours, and you lost a lot of blood. We could get you a few rabbits, maybe, so you can consume all blood you want from them, but until then you should rest a lot. It was thanks to Shadow who healed your injuries that you're still alive."

"Oh..." Sylvan paused, before speaking again. "I thank you for helping me, but...I think there are others that will need more help than I do..."

* * *

"...How much farther until we find those bloody Mystics?" Shachihoko groaned.

"...Um...Half an hour more?" Kanmuri suggested as the group continued to walk through the woods. "That's odd...I'm sure that we haven't been walking in circles..."

"How would you know?" Kawachi asked, curious.

"I tied one end of the string to a nearby tree after we got split up from Sylvan. If we cross paths with it, we would know then if we're walking in circles." The elven archer responded. It was then that the group saw something familiar... "The string? Wait, don't tell me that-"

"Yes, we've been walking in circles Kanmuri. Thanks a lot for your guidance." Mizuno responded sarcastically, crossing her arms. "Dang it, at this rate we're never going to be able to reach the Mystics for help!"

Monica paused, before speaking up. "Does anyone have a compass?"

Azuma face-palmed himself at this statement. "A compass...We could have used that earlier!" He exclaimed, before taking a small compass out of his pocket and handing it to Monica. "Here."

"Thanks." Monica paused, looking at the compass before speaking up. "We're not going south, but we've been moving eastwards...We have to go that way to go north and towards the Mystics." She finished, pointing to her left.

"Oh." Everyone else exchanged awkward glances with each other, before they continued their journey.

* * *

Matsushiro, Shadow and Kuroyanagi all stared at Sylvan in shock after he finished his story.

"You nearly killed Kanmuri, drank three wine bottles worth of Suwabara's blood, and then you got attacked after allying with Kai and everyone else?" Matsushiro asked, trying to summarize what Sylvan had just told them.

"Pretty much." Sylvan admitted. "It's okay, though. Kanmuri's still alive, Suwabara isn't going to faint anytime soon due to blood loss, and the rest of the group should hopefully still be alive as well. We just have to find them."

"Yes..." Kuroyanagi trailed off, looking around. "Um, I think we have company!"

A few demons lurked out of the bushes they were hiding in, snapping their jaws and growling at the three nobles and one demon.

"...I should have known this would happen if we decide to help a demon that decided to betray his queen..." Shadow muttered, taking out two swords and pointing them at the demons threateningly. The four exchanged glances, before the rest took out their weapons and leapt at the horrid creatures.

Shadow easily sliced one of the demons apart with his swords, as Matsushiro punched another and sent it flying. Kuroyanagi stabbed one demon before kicking another one that tried to sneak up from behind him. Sylvan, on the other hand, decided to rely on his more demonic instincts and immediately began ripping the demons apart, feasting on their blood whenever he had a spare moment to do so.

Kuroyanagi couldn't help but cringe as he saw the savageness of Sylvan's fighting. It was worse than a bandit, but more refined than your average, wild demon. It had been a while since he'd seen Sylvan...The last time he did, it was during childhood, before Yukino and her army of demons attacked...

He shook his head, ridding himself of the memory. He couldn't think about this right now. He had to help the others first. Kuroyanagi ducked an attempted stab from one of Yukino's demons, before stabbing it in the neck. Sylvan let out a sigh, before glancing at a nearby demon's corpse. He slithered over to the corpse, before starting to rip it apart with his bare, clawed hands and consuming the blood that poured out.

"At least we don't have to kill any rabbits now..." Matsushiro was heard muttering in the background. Shadow just nodded in agreement.

Kuroyanagi looked at Sylvan quietly. The kind village boy he'd once knew was now a savage demon, and daresay also, a cold-blooded killer.


End file.
